Draft-rigging for cars.



-Patented Feb. I3, i900.

w. cAsEL `DRAFT RIGGING FOR CARS.

(Applca't'on filed Apr. 11, 1896.)

(No Model.)

NITRDl STATESV ATRNT FFICE.

IVILLIAM CASE, OF CI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONALMALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DRAFT-RIGGlNG FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,590, dated February13, 1900.

Serial No. 587,114. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CASE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inDraft-Riggings for Cars, Aof which the following is a f ull,clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l shows my improveddraft-rigging, partly in plan view and partly in horizontal centralsection. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inner side of one of thedraft-irons. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical cross-sections on the lines IIIIII and IV IV, respectively.

In the drawings, 2 2 represent the draftirons, which are set parallel toeach other and are secured to the draft-timbers of the railway-car. Nearthe ends of the draft-irons and fitting in opposite lugs or recesses 3on the inner faces thereof are stop-plates 4, (shown clearly in Figs. 1and 2,) which are confined in place by cross-bolts 5 5, passing throughthem and through the draft-irons. These stop-plates have central holes6, th rough which project the ends of followers 7 7 which have centralholes and at the inner ends are formed with annular heads S, againstwhich the end of the spring 9 bears. This spring, which may convenientlybe double, consisting of two concentric parts, is placed between thedraft-irons and is conned in place by annular retaining-flanges l0 atthe outer margins of the follower-heads. The location of the anges atthe outer margins is important, because it leaves the central holes ofthe followers open and unobstructed for the passage of a tail-boltthrough the followers and through the axis of the spring when it isdesired to use a tail-bolt. VVheu a U-shapcd strap is to be used insteadof a tail-bolt, the middle portion of the strap iits against the outerend of the rear follower 7 and the legs of the strap extend between thedraft-irons above and below the spring to the end of the draw-bar, towhich they are bolted in the usual way. I believe I am the first thus toprovide a draft-rigging capable of use as well with a tail-bolt as witha strap, and the great utility of such construction will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art.

The operation of the device Will be readily understood. In buing thedraw-bar presses upon the follower 7 and moves it against the spring,`and in pulling the draw-bar, acting through the strap or tail-bolt,draws the follower 7 forward and compresses the spring in the oppositedirection.

An important advantage of the construction described above is that whenit is desired to remove the draft-rigging to repair a broken spring orfollower it can be done easily without detaching the draft-irons fromthe timbers or dismantling or injuring the timbers themselves, as is thecase when devices known and used heretofore are employed. To remove thedraft-rigging, it is only necessary to loosen and withdraw the bolts 5 5and then to draw the stop-plate, with the followers and spring,vertically from between the draft-irons-an operation'which can be donerapidly and without injury to any of the parts.

Within the scope of my invention changes in the form and construction ofthe parts may be made, since What I claim isl. In a draft-rigging,stop-plates set against lugs or recesses on the draft-irons andremovable vertically therefrom, said stop-plates being adapted tocontain between them the followers and spring, and means whereby thestop-plates are secured to the draft-irons.

2. In a draft-rigging, stop-plates set against lugs or recesses on thedraft-irons and removable vertically therefrom, said stop-plates beingadapted to contain between them the followers and spring, and horizontalbolts,where by the stop-plates are secured to the draft- Irons.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM CASE. Witnesses:

CLAYTON MARK, FREDERICK R. ANGELL.

